COMMON SUPPORT AIRCRAFT

The Common Support Aircraft (CSA) will serve as the Navy's carrier-based
surveillance, control, and support aircraft for the 21st century, replacing
existing S-3B, ES-3A, E-2C, and C-2A aircraft. Envisioned as a single aircraft
design, the CSA will be able to carry different mission suites of sensors
and avionics in order to fulfill future mission requirements and will possess
significant capacity for logistics support and aerial refueling. CSA will
facilitate naval fires in the joint warfare battlespace with fuzed tactical
data obtained from both on- and off-board sensors and with its organic
warfighting capability.

CSA STUDY SYNOPSIS

In 1993, a Naval Aviation study concluded that a "neckdown" of follow-on
aircraft was the only affordable procurement strategy for future naval
aircraft. Current investments in E-2C production, ongoing C-2 service life
extension, and service life extension plans for the S-3 and ES-3 aircraft
are needed to ensure that current airframes achieve the 2015 service life
goal. Based on current fleet utilization rates and projected support aircraft
inventories, the CSA will require a 2012 initial operational capability
at the latest. Efforts are being explored to determine if an accelerated
profile is feasible.

The study team has established CINC Coordination and Fleet User Teams
to ensure the operational concerns of U.S. warfighters are highlighted,
and to provide a forum that spans all warfare areas. Phase 1 defined future
mission requirements by using top down, strategy-task-technology and quality
function deployment methodologies that were rooted in joint military objectives.
Phase 1 concluded in early 1997.

During Phase 2, the study will evaluate the technical and economic feasibility
of a single airframe vehicle. First, the mission concept of operations
in tactical situations will quantify performance values. Existing guidance
will be used to examine the aircraft design possibilities for a multi-place
aircraft sharing a common airframe, engines, and core avionics and having
sufficient internal volume and carriage capability for mission-specific
avionics, sensors, stores and weapons. The study group is also working
with industry and examining advances in technology and the acquisition
process to assess the feasibility of the CSA.

CSA INITIATIVE

The CSA initiative is to commence a baseline development effort for the
air vehicle prior to final weapon systems determination for the various
mission variants. Based on the current and future "worst case" avionics
suite, the baseline aircraft will be sized around the Hawkeye 2006 mission
system which will provide growth potential for other mission area requirements
and avionics upgrades. Significant work in formulating plans, options and
contingencies are ongoing within the Fleet, acquisition community, and
industry so that a streamlined effort can be initiated that minimizes program
risk while exploiting commercial best practices and methodologies.